Imaging the Yellowstone magmatic system with ambient noise and local earthquake waveforms

Maguire Ross R, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

This postdoctoral fellowship is awarded to Dr. Ross Maguire to work at the University of New Mexico and Michigan State University on a project that will develop a new detailed 3D image of the subsurface beneath Yellowstone. The image will illuminate new aspects of the volcanic system that could provide insight into the eruptive potential of Yellowstone. Much of Yellowstone National Park in northwest Wyoming sits in a caldera that formed during a cataclysmic volcanic eruption 640 thousand years ago. Today, geological activity shows signs that the Yellowstone supervolcano is at unrest, but it is still unknown if a future eruption could occur. Key insight into the current state of Yellowstone supervolcano relies on imaging the subsurface with geophysical techniques. The aim is to test the hypothesis that a layer of eruptible magma is present at shallow crustal depths. The project will use recently developed seismic imaging techniques that will allow resolution at a finer scale detail in the subsurface than has been previously possible. The 3D model of the subsurface beneath Yellowstone will be made openly available online and will provide an excellent opportunity for public outreach and education about volcanic hazards. The increased availability of rich seismic datasets combined with recent advances in seismic imaging techniques using both seismic noise and shear waves provides an exceptional chance to image the Yellowstone magmatic system. The project will develop a high-resolution shear wavespeed model of the subsurface beneath Yellowstone based on both ambient noise interferometry and local earthquake records with the aim of identifying magma bodies in the crust beneath Yellowstone caldera. Our model of absolute Vs wavespeed will be used to infer the properties and distribution of melt in Yellowstone's magmatic system and to gain insight into processes involved in melt generation and interaction with the lithosphere. The improved imaging technique used in this work will allow testing of the hypothesis that a melt rich zone with eruptive potential is present beneath Yellowstone. Broader impacts include dissemination of the results through Yellowstone National Park to their multitude of visitors. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.